Reversing mechanism



April 17, 1934. w. c. WARE REVERSING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 2, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l [Ar -1.2; C W L] all? W. C. WARE REVERS ING MECHANI SM April 17, 1934.

Filed Dec. 2, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 17, 1934 l STATES F HCE REVERSING MECHANISM Application December 2, 1932, Serial No. 645,376

10 Claims.

This invention relates to reversing mechanisms especially adapted although not necessarily restricted to marine propulsion.

This invention especially relates to a reversing mechanism wherein the reversing gearing is of the planetary type and includes an enclosing casing and pinion gear carrier that comprises a cylindrical drum or casing having end walls that support the pins on which the pinion gears are rotatably supported. Heretofore the end walls have been bolted on the cylindrical casing or have been integral therewith. Either construction is relatively expensive, andit is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a reversing mechanism having an enclosing casing or pinion carrier that is simple and inexpensive in construction and easy to assemble and disassemble.

A further object is the provision of a reversing mechanism including a casing comprising a planetary pinion gear carrier, which casing has an end wall integral with the cylindrical casing at one end and is open at the other end, so that it can be machined internally by a simple operation, the casing having a separate end wall for the open end which has a readily-formed splined driving connection therewith and is held in position by the pins which support the pinion gears.

A yet further object is the provision of a reversing mechanism including a pinion carrier comprising an enclosing casing having an end wall separate therefrom and secured thereto and having a splined driving connection therewith, combined with clutch mechanism for forward drive having clutch plates some of which occupy the casing spline-ways for the separate end wall.

Another object is generally to improve the construction of reversing mechanism.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a reversing mechanism embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a View of the front end of the casing comprising the pinion carrier.

Fig. 4 is a section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a rear end view of the separate end wall for the casing of Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the wall of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section taken along line 77 of Fig. 5.

The reversing mechanism herein illustrated as embodying the present invention includes the aligned driving and driven shafts 10 and 12. The driving shaft has a hub 14 keyed thereto that extends beyond the inner or rear end of the shaft and has a spur gear, or spur gear teeth,

rotatable bearing on the hub 14 of the driving shaft. A brake band 28 encircles the casing and is adapted to engage it and hold it stationary to set the mechanism for reverse drive of the driven shaft, in the usual manner.

In accordance with the presesnt invention the casing is entirely open at its rear end or the end remote from said integral front wall 26 and is machined uniformly cylindrical internally. The casing is provided with a plate 30 that has opposed radial faces and is separate from the casing and constitutes a closure for the open rear end thereof. The cylindrical wall of the casing has a plurality of preferably equi-angularly disposed spline-ways or notches 32 that have parallel side walls and radial end walls and are open to the rear edge of the casing. The peripheral portion of the wall 30 has on its periphery a corresponding plurality of radially outstanding and equi-angularly disposed splines or projections 34 having radial side walls and which are adapted to be located snugly within the notches 32 of the casing, with the radial bottom faces of the splines seated against the bottom faces of the notches, whereby'to position the end wall in the casing and to establish driving connection between the wall and casing. The notches are deeper than the thickness of the end wall and are adapted to receive splines of clutch plates, as will presently appear.

The casing, at the notches, has a slightly greater internal diameter than the external diameter of the wall 30, between the splines 34, the difference in diameter being sufiicient to permit ready assembly of the wall in the casing. The end wall projects forwardly of the splines a short axial distance to provide an annular ledge 36 that has a diameter that conforms closely to the internal diameter of the internal face 38 of the casing, whereby to centralize the end wall and a recess 40 to receive a bearing 42 that also engages the hub 20 of the driven shaft whereby to support the wall rotatably thereon.

Pinion pins 44 are extended longitudinally of the casing through the integral end wall 26 and the separate end wall 30 and are seated in openings 46 in the end wall 30. Said pins at the rear ends thereof have radially outstanding projections 48 which are located in radial extensions or recesses 50 of said openings, which recesses are open at the rear face of said wall. The forward ends of said pinion pins are extended through the front wall and are screw-threaded and have nuts 52 thereon which bear against the front face of the front end wall 26 and thereby, through said projections 48, draw the separate end wall 30 against the bottom faces of the spline-ways 32 and thereby hold the end wall 30 securely in position to the casing.

This construction has been found to be considerably more economical in manufacture and assembly than any heretofore known construction of the disclosed type of reversing mechanism.

Intermeshing large and small pinion gears 54 and 56 are rotatably supported on said pinion pins and are in mesh respectively with the driving and driven spur gears 16 and 20 and, when the casing is held stationary, effect the reverse drive of the driven shaft. The assembly of the mechanism thus described is simple, the driven gear being inserted in the opening 40 of the separate end wall 30, the pinion pins 44 then inserted in said wall, the pinion gears placed on the pins and the casing placed over the pinion gears and the spur gears and the end wall, and the nuts 52 then threaded on the forward ends of the pinion pins.

Clutch mechanism is provided to secure forward drive of the driven shaft and includes a set of clutch plates 58 disposed immediately at the rear of the end plate 30 and within the open end of the casing 24 and having an axially movable driving connection with the driven hub 18 and, intermeshed therewith, .a second set of clutch plates 60 having radially outstanding splines or projections 62 which are located in the spline-ways 32 of the casing. A pressure plate 64 axially loose on but having a driving connection with the driven hub 18 is adapted to move the plates together and against the end wall 30 by more or less common clutch operating mechanism 66 to set the reversing mechanism for forward drive.

In a prior construction of the reversing mechanism, wherein the rear end wall was integral with the casing and composed of the same material as that of the casing, it was found desirable to interpose a wear plate between the end wall and the foremost clutch plate of the driven shaft as the material of the end wall could not be economically provided with wearing qualities suitable for clutching service. With the present construction, however, the separate end wall 30 is composed of a material that is different from that of the casing 24 and is suitable for clutching service so that the heretofore desirable wear plates can be eliminated and the end wall funcis provided with spline-ways thereat, an end wall separate from said casing located in the open end thereof and having splines located in said spline-ways, pinion pins extended through both end walls, the ends of said pins at said rear end wall lying below the rear face thereof and having lateral projections that are located in notches in said rear end wall to prevent the rotation of said pins, nuts on the other ends of said pins cooperating with said projections to hold said separate end wall to said casing against axial displacement, and intermeshing pinion gears journalled on said pinion pins and separately meshing with said spur gears.

2. Reversing mechanism comprising the combination of driving and driven shafts having spur gears thereon, a pinion carrier comprising a cylindrical casing having a front end wall and an open rear end provided with spline-ways located in the rear portion of said cylindrical wall, an end plate separate from said casing located in said open end and having splines which are located in said spline-ways, pinion pins extended through aligned openings in said end walls having lateral projections at their rear ends which are located in notches in the rear face of said end wall and having nuts screw threaded on their front ends which engage the front face of said front wall and hold said separate end wall against axial displacement with respect to said casing, and intermeshing pinion gears rotatable on said pinion pins and separately meshing with said spur gears.

3. Reversing mechanism comprising the combination of driving and driven shafts,'gearing connecting said shafts for reverse driving including a pinion gear carrier comprising a casing, pinion gears carried by said casing, said casing having a front end wall and an open rear end, an end wall separate from said casing disposed on the open end thereof and having splines which are located in spline-ways in said casing, and pinion pins on which said pinion gears are rotatable extended between said end walls and constituting means securing the splines of said separate end wall in the spline-ways of said casing, the rear ends of said pins lying below the rear face of said rear end wall, and clutch plates located behind said rear end wall one of which plates bears thereagainst.

4. In reversing mechanism of the planetary gearing type, a pinion carrier comprising a cylindrical casing having an end wall at one end and being open at the other end, an end wall separate from said casing on the open end thereof 5.1?

and having splines. which are located in splineways of said casing, said end walls having aligned openings therethrough, and pinion pins located in said openings, said pins having projections which are located in recesses in. said separate end 5 wall and nuts which are screw-threaded on the other ends of said pins and overlie said first wall.

5. Reversing mechanism comprising the combination of driving and driven shafts, planetary gearing elements connecting said shafts for reverse drive includingapinion gear carrier comprising a casing having a front end wall and an open rear end, a rear end wall separate from said casing located therein within the open end,

pinion pins extended between and. connecting said 13 end walls and constituting means securing said separate end wall to said casing, pinion gears rotatable on said pinion pins, and clutch mechanism connecting said shafts for forward drive including intermeshed sets of .clutch plates located within the open rear end of said casing in the rear of said separate end wall.

6. Reversing mechanism comprising the combination of driving and driven shafts, reversing gearing connecting said shafts for reversing drive including a planetary pinion gear carrier comprising a casing having a front end wall and an open rear end, a rear end wall separate from said casing located within the open end thereof, the wall of said casing having spline-ways therein which extend forwardly from the rear edge thereof, said rear end wall having splines which are located in the bottom portions of said splineways, pinion pins extended between and carried by said end walls and having means securing said separate end wall to said casing, pinion gears rotatable on said pinion pins, and clutch mechanism connecting said shafts for forward drive including intermeshed sets of clutch plates located within the open rear end of said casing in the rear of said rear end wall, some of said clutch plates having splines which are located in the spline-ways of said casing.

'7. Reversing mechanism comprising the combination of driving and driven shafts, reversing gearing connecting said shafts for reverse drive including a planetary pinion gear carrier comprising a cylindrical casing having a front end wall and an open rear end, a rear end wall separate from said casing located within the open end thereof, the wall of said casing having spline-ways extended forwardly from the rear edge thereof, said separate end wall having splines located in said spline ways, said end walls having aligned pin openings therein, pinion pins located in said openings having lateral projections at their rear ends which are located in recesses that are open to the rear face of said separate end wall, means at the forward ends of said pins which applies a clamping pressure between said end walls whereby to hold said separate end wall to said casing, rotatable pinion gears on said pinion pins, and clutch mechanism connecting said shafts for forward drive including intermeshed sets of clutch plates located within the open end of said casing rearwardly of said separate end wall, some of said clutch plates having splines which are located in the spline-ways of said casing.

8. Reversing mechanism comprising the combination of driving and driven shafts, gearing connecting said shafts for reverse drive including a planetary pinion carrier comprising a casing having a front end wall and an open rear end, a rear end wall separate from said casing located therein within the open end, said casing wall having spline-ways therein extended forwardly from the rear end thereof, said separate end wall having splines located in the bottoms of said splineways, pinion pins extended between said end Walls and arranged to secure said separate wall to said casing, pinion gears on said pinion pins, and clutch mechanism connecting said shafts for forward drive including intermeshed sets of clutch plates located Within the open end of said casing at the rear of said separate end wall, some of said clutch plates having splines which are located in the splineways of said casing.

9. Reversing mechanism comprising the combination of driving and driven shafts, gearing connecting said shafts for reverse drive including a planetary pinion gear carrier comprising a cylindrical casing having a front end wall and an open rear end, a rear end wall separate from said casing located within the open end thereof, means connecting said rear end wall to said casing, pinion gears carried by said casing and clutch mechanism connecting said shafts for forward drive comprising intermeshed sets of clutch plates located rearwardly of said separate end wall, one set of clutch plates having a driving connection with said casing and the other set having a driving connection with said driven shaft, one of said plates connected with said driven shaft adapted to have a clutching engagement with said separate end wall, and clutch operating mechanism for urging said clutch plates together and against said end wall.

10. Reversing mechanism comprising the combination of driving and driven shafts, reverse gearing connecting said shafts for reverse drive including a planetary pinion gear carrier comprising a casing having an open rear end and spline-ways forwardly extended in the wall thereof from the rear end, an end wall in said open end having splines located in said spline-ways, pinion pins carried by said end wall, and clutch mechanism connecting said shafts for forward drive including sets of intermeshed sets of clutch plates located in the open end of said casing rearwardly of said wall, some of said plates having splines which are located in the spline-ways of said casing.

' WALTER C. WARE. 

